Fan Fiction - barf-worthy??

[amberdreams]

Diane Gabaldon has really stirred up a storm with her illconsidered bashing of all things fan fiction.  I see she is rapidly backtracking but the damage is done as far as I am concerned.  Her books are off my To-Read list.  I understand the problem of ownership of intellectual property, and the very real threat posed by open access to information, but fan fiction is not the area to attack here, fan fiction is not a threat to good published  writers.  It is actually a compliment to those writers if a FF community springs up around their books, because it means that their story-telling and ideas has inspired others to explore themes and characters created by them in ways that perhaps they had never considered.  (And yes, some of those ways might include sex!!).
I find it hard to understand how any author can not realise that there are very few original stories out there - to come up with something that is truly new, has never been told before is virtually impossible.  Most stories that are told share the same basic roots, and all that is happening is that we are putting a new slant, a fresh viewpoint on something that humans have been experiencing from the dawn of time.
And humans have always told stories, and enjoyed listening to stories being told...
So a big big thank you to Pandarus and Bookshop for spelling this out to Ms Gabaldon with such eloquence and equanimity.  Guys, you put this so much better than I ever could - kudos to you!

http://bookshop.livejournal.com/1044495.html
http://pandarus.livejournal.com/336009.html

And there are authors who 'get it' - http://www.locusmag.com/Features/2007/05/cory-doctorow-in-praise-of-fanfic.html